Heathrow expansion: Boris Johnson vows to fight any Government U-turn

The Mayor of London says David Cameron's decision to replace Justine Greening
as Transport Secretary shows the Government is intent on the "simply mad"
expansion of Heathrow Airport.

10:34AM BST 05 Sep 2012

Boris Johnson has attacked the demotion of Justine Greening in Tuesday's Cabinet reshuffle and has vowed to fight any plans for Heathrow expansion Heathrow "all the way".

The Mayor of London said Ms Greening had been "a first-rate transport secretary" and argued that there could be "only one reason to move her – and that is to expand Heathrow airport."

Ms Greening, whose Putney constituency lies under Heathrow flightpaths and has been a vociferous opponent of a third runway at the airport, has been shifted to the international development brief, while former chief whip Patrick McLoughlin will oversee transport.

"Now it is clear that the Government wants to ditch its promises and send yet more planes over central London," he added.

"The third runway would mean more traffic, more noise, more pollution – and a serious reduction in the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people."